Television portal services system and method using message-based protocol

Abstract

A television (TV) portal services apparatus and method using a message-based protocol that allows management and control for various service items by providing a consistent message-based framework in the TV portal service. Further, it is possible to implement new applications by providing a tool for association between individual services, resulting in technical efficiency in implementing a server as well as a terminal, and implementation of flexible services by standardizing an Application Program Interface (API) for the TV portal service.

1 . A television portal services system, comprising: 
 a client terminal having at least one or more service applications for performing a plurality of different portal services based on a service message received via a network according to a user's request;    a messaging client module for: 
 a) converting, according to the user's request, each service request message generated from each service application to a respective client message frame format to transmit the client message frame format through a message-based protocol of the network, and  
 b) receiving a server message frame format for a portal service message received through the message-based protocol of the network, parsing the received server message frame format, and providing the parsed portal service message to a corresponding one of said service applications;  
   a messaging server module for: 
 a) parsing the client service message frame format received from the messaging client module through the message-based protocol of the network and thereafter outputting the parsed service request message, and  
 b) converting a service request and handling result message and a user informing message, provided according to the user's request from the messaging client module, to the server message frame format to transmit the server message frame format through the message-based protocol of the network to the messaging client module; and  
   a message server for generating the service request and handling result message, and the user informing message, according to the parsed service request message outputted from the messaging server module, provided to the messaging server module.    
   
   
       2 . The television portal services system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one or more service applications include at least one or more of an order delivery service application, a near video-on-demand (NVOD) service application, a real video-on-demand (RVOD) service application an information providing service application, an informing service application, an electronic program guide (EPG) service application, and a digital television (DTV) service application.  
   
   
       3 . The television portal services system according to  claim 1 , wherein the message frame format includes: 
 a message type field having message type information for classifying properties of a message transmitted and received between the server terminal and the client terminal;    a service type field having service type information for classifying television portal service types;    a data type field having data type information for classifying types of data transmitted and received between the server terminal and the client terminal;    a data field including actual data transmitted and received between the server terminal and the client terminal; and    a result type field having result type information for classifying message handling results.    
   
   
       4 . The television portal services system according to  claim 3 , wherein the message type information for classifying the properties of the message includes one of at least request information (REQ), response information (REP), and informing information (INF).  
   
   
       5 . The television portal services system according to  claim 3 , wherein the service type information for classifying the service types includes one of at least log in/out service (LOG) information, E-MAIL service (EML) information, order service (ORD) information, reservation service (RES) information, alarm service (ALM) information, and near video-on-demand service (NVD) information.  
   
   
       6 . The television portal services system according to  claim 3 , wherein the data type information for classifying the data types includes one of at least log data (LOG), alarm data (ALM), order data (ORD), reservation data (RES), E-mail data (EML), and near video-on-demand data (NVD).  
   
   
       7 . The television portal services system according to  claim 6 , wherein the log data (LOG) of the data type information includes log on (LON) and log off (LOF) data.  
   
   
       8 . The television portal services system according to  claim 6 , wherein the E-mail data (EML) of the data type information includes unread mail number (UMN) data.  
   
   
       9 . The television portal services system according to  claim 6 , wherein the order data (ORD) of the data type information includes one of at least settlement completion (STC), settlement confirmation (STF), receipt (RCP), post-receipt cancellation request (CAR), post-receipt cancellation confirmation (CAF), post-receipt cancellation handling (CAH), and order delivery (DLV) data.  
   
   
       10 . The television portal services system according to  claim 6 , wherein the reservation data (RES) of the data type information includes one of at least reservation application (APL), reservation receipt (RCP), post-receipt cancellation request (CAR), post-receipt cancellation confirmation (CAF), and post-receipt cancellation handling (CAH) data.  
   
   
       11 . The television portal services system according to  claim 6 , wherein the alarm data (ALM) of the data type information includes one of at least all alarm (ALL), unread mail alarm (UMA), reserved schedule alarm (RSA), and reserved program alarm (RPA) data.  
   
   
       12 . The television portal services system according to  claim 6 , wherein the VOD data (NVD) of the data type information includes channel request (CHR) data.  
   
   
       13 . The television portal services system according to  claim 3 , wherein the result type information includes one of at least success (SUC), failure (FAL), and null (NUL) information.  
   
   
       14 . The television portal services system according to  claim 1 , wherein the messaging client module includes: 
 a message frame generating unit for generating the respective client message frame format corresponding to each of the service request messages generated from the service applications to transmit the client message frame format to the messaging server module; and    a message parsing unit for parsing the server message frame format transmitted from the messaging server module and providing the parsed portal service message to a relevant service.    
   
   
       15 . The television portal services system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a message queue for temporarily storing the parsed portal service message from the messaging client and then transferring the portal service message to the relevant service application corresponding to the portal service to be performed.    
   
   
       16 . The television portal services system according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 a FIFO (first-in first-out memory) for temporarily storing the parsed portal service message when the parsed portal service message is to be displayed on a television (TV) screen when the parsed portal service message from the messaging client module is a message requiring the user's  5  response or an informing message informing the user of a status of a requested portal service.    
   
   
       17 . The television portal services system according to  claim 16 , further comprising a digital television (DTV) application and a personal computer (PC) application, wherein the parsed portal service message output from the FIFO is provided to the DTV application to be displayed as an on-screen display (OSD) in a widget form in case where a TV (television) mode is a TV view mode, and  5  is provided to the PC application to be displayed in a message box or as an icon form using an Application Program Interface (API) of an operating system (OS) when the TV mode is a personal computer (PC) screen mode.  
   
   
       18 . The television portal services system according to  claim 1 , wherein the messaging server module includes: 
 a message frame generating unit for generating the server message frame format corresponding to the service request and handling message or the user informing message generated from the message server, and transmitting the generated the server message frame format to the messaging client module via the network; and    a message parsing unit for parsing the client service message frame format transmitted from the messaging client module and providing the parsed service request message to the message server.    
   
   
       19 . A television portal services method, comprising the steps of: 
 when a service request message is generated from any of a plurality of service applications of a client terminal according to a user's request, generating a client service message frame for each generated service request message and transmitting the generated client service message frame to a server terminal through a message-based protocol of a network;    receiving the client service message frame at the server terminal through the message-based protocol and parsing the received client service message frame to extract the service request message;    generating a response and handling result message and a user informing message in response to the parsed service request message;    producing a server message frame according to the response and handling result message and the user informing message, and then transmitting the message frame from the server terminal to the client terminal through the message-based protocol of the network; and    receiving at the client terminal the server message frame and by parsing the server message frame to provide a parsed sever service message to a corresponding one or more of the service applications; and    performing the service corresponding to the parsed sever service message provided to the service application, according to the service request message.    
   
   
       20 . The television portal services method according to  claim 19 , wherein the server message frame and the client service message frame, transmitted through the same message-based protocol, have the same format structure.  
   
   
       21 . The television portal services method according to  claim 19 , wherein a format structure of the server message frame and the client service message frame each include: 
 a message type field having message type information for classifying properties of a message transmitted and received between the server terminal and the client terminal;    a service type field having service type information for classifying television portal service types;    a data type field having data type information for classifying types of data transmitted and received between the server terminal and the client terminal;    a data field including actual data transmitted and received between the server terminal and the client terminal; and    a result type field having result type information for classifying message handling results.    
   
   
       22 . The television portal services method according to  claim 19 , further comprising a step of temporarily storing the parsed server service message in a message queue and then transferring the stored parsed server service message to a relevant service application when the parsed portal service message is to be displayed on a television (TV) screen.  
   
   
       23 . The television portal services method according to  claim 19 , further comprising steps of: 
 temporarily storing the parsed server service message in a FIFO (first-in first-out memory) when the parsed server service message is a message requiring the user's response or an informing message informing the user of a status of a requested portal; and    transferring the stored parsed server service message to a relevant service application when the parsed portal service message is to be displayed on a television (TV) screen.    
   
   
       24 . The television portal services method according to  claim 23 , further comprising, when the parsed server service message is to be displayed on a television (TV) screen: 
 providing the parsed server service message to a digital television (DTV) application to be displayed as an on-screen display (OSD) in a widget form when a TV (television) mode is a TV view mode, and    providing the parsed server service message to a personal computer (PC) application to be displayed in a message box or as an icon form using an Application Program Interface (API) of an operating system (OS) when the TV mode is a personal computer (PC) screen mode.